U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) welcomed news that the Virginia Department of Health will receive $560,000 in additional funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support efforts to protect Virginians from the Zika virus and the adverse health outcomes that can result from Zika infection, including the serious birth defect microcephaly.
The funds will serve as a stopgap measure to help Virginia and other vulnerable areas respond to this emerging public health threat. As of July 28, 2016, the VDH has reported 50 cases of the Zika virus in the Commonwealth.
“As we find ourselves at the peak of mosquito season, we are past the point of simple emergency preparedness,” said Senator Warner. “These funds will provide a needed support to prevent the spread of this disease, but long-term funding is needed to contain the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable women and children who stand to lose most if we don’t move to protect them. The increasing number of virus transmissions in the United States demand for Congress to immediately act to provide funds to combat this disease. I will continue calling on my Republican colleagues to take this public health threat seriously, and dedicate adequate funds to help states and territories respond to this virus, which we still know too little about.”
Funds were provided to states and territories based on their risk of Zika virus transmission, population need, and availability of funds, and come in addition to the $25 million awarded on July 1 as part of CDC’s preparedness and response funding to areas at risk for outbreaks of Zika. Virginia is one of 40 states and territories receiving the assistance ranging from $200,000-$720,000. As of today, CDC has obligated more than half of the $222 million in repurposed funds available for the domestic Zika fight.
Overall, HHS has spent more than $201 million of the $374 million that was redirected for the domestic Zika fight in April. This additional funding comes after CDC issued an unpresented travel warning this week to areas in Miami, Florida following the first confirmed cases of Zika transmission through mosquito bites within the continental United States.
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